Cynar and wineCynar is an artichoke amaro – unfashionably brown but incredibly delicious. It can be made into an ugly spritz, or you can embrace its hue and make this little number. My aperitivo of 2026.Makes 1A twist of lemon
30ml Cynar
Dry white wine (preferably Italian, such as pecorino or garganega), chilledA skewered olive, to garnishSweep the rim of a chilled nick and nora glass with the lemon, then drop it into the glass. Add the Cynar, top with the wine, add an ice cube and stir. Add the skewered olive and serve.Sunshine spritzNothing says summer like a spritz made with Suze, a luminous yellow bitter made with gentian root. Italians would make this with prosecco, but given the French roots of this drink, I like to make it with crémant.Makes 160ml Suze
90ml dry sparkling wine, chilled1 wedge each of orange and lemonHalf fill a large stemmed wine glass with ice, then add the Suze, followed by the sparkling wine. Stir briefly, so as not to lose too much of that eponymous spritz, and serve with the citrus slices.Black velvetLuxurious, soft and bracing, this cocktail shouldn’t work but really does. If you’re like me and can’t quite bring yourself to use champagne for a mashup, crémant works brilliantly.Makes 190ml stout (eg Guinness), chilled90ml dry sparkling wine (I used a crémant), chilledTilt a champagne flute and slowly add the stout. Place the flute on a level surface to allow the stout to settle before topping up with sparkling wine. Serve.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionTinto de veranoSo much easier to make – and less boozy or sweet – than sangria, this refreshing “summer red wine” is ideal for hot afternoons in the sun. You can even assemble it at a picnic.Makes 1
